The San Francisco-based leader of Gordon & Rees‘ health care practice group is starting a small health care defense firm in Sausalito, Calif.

John Supple, who joined Gordon & Rees in the summer of 2002, is opening Supple & Canvel on April 15 with Gordon & Rees partner Henry “Rick” Canvel and associate William Horsey. They’ll be joined by Robert Deering, who is coming from the law office of Barton Hegeler, a San Diego medical malpractice defense firm, and Elizabeth Throne, a recent graduate from Pepperdine University School of Law. Supple said he has two more offers outstanding.